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The Brantry

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midtownmjd
midtownmjd
First Reviewer
5 out of 5
Avg. Member Rating
1
Review
1
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Editor Pick

The Brantry Restaurant

  • December 28, 2007
  • Rated 5 of 5 by midtownmjd from New York, New York
The Brantry Restaurant

I would have been happy just to sit at The Brantry, food or no food—that’s how cozy the renovated 1950s townhouse is. The fact that the food is wonderful is almost icing on the cake. Or maybe it’s the other way around. In any case, The Brantry is a can’t-miss dining destination in Taupo.

Walking into The Brantry, with its open fire and low ceilings, feels a bit (I would imagine) like walking into Bilbo Baggins’ house, if it were so tastefully decorated. On a Sunday night, our party of five was seated in the wine cellar at the only available table that could accommodate us. The cellar used to be a smoking room, our waiter, Baxter, explained, and it now houses one table with giant upholstered chairs and low lighting all around. It was called "the cave," and it was perfect.

Service was also perfect; from keeping wine and water glasses ever full to briefing us on post-season baseball scores back in the US, Baxter was delightful and knowledgeable about everything on the menu (and in sport).

I loved the look of the chefs’ spring menu, and it was hard to narrow down my choices. But I began with a duck spring roll in broth with pomegranate jelly (NZ$17.50) that was wonderful. For my main course, it had to be the fish of the day: salmon with new potatoes and roasted vegetables (NZ$29). The portions were generous, and everything was delicious, aided by the sorbet cleanser served between courses.

Other main-course choices included ostrich, beef, venison, and, of course, lamb. All of them looked wonderful marinating in their various sauces and sides, from date chutney to pumpkin-proscuitto terrine to Israeli couscous ratatouille. The menu changes with each season, so everything is fresh and at peak.

My pomegranate jelly and the sorbet both foreshadowed dessert nicely: a chocolate teardrop encasing vanilla bavarois (or what I’d probably call marshmallow) and raspberry jelly (NZ$15). The simple teardrop managed to be light and decadent at the same time, which I consider the hallmark of a successful dessert. In fact, all of the desserts at our table followed that trend—I had trouble keeping my eyes off the apricot tarte tatin.

The Brantry begins serving dinner at 6pm and also offers set two- or three-course menus. Reservations are recommended—and ask about cellar seating.

From journal Taupo and Environs: Grab the Chilly Bin and Go!

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